Laundry drying apparatus



y 195? A. 1.. REITER 4 2,798,306

Y LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1954 v 1o Sheets-Sheet 1 sELECTOR OFF DAMP DRY HEAVY FABRICS HM ER AIR HEAT 20 5 I f k r K).

- fnvenZf- QZe x z7zcZer L .Zle 212v A July 9, 1957 A. LQREITER 2,793,306

' LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS I Filed April 20, 1954 v 1'0 Sheets-sheaf 2-1 I fnv enjf alex ndetl. Hezir July 9, 1957 REITER 2,798,306

LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 alaxczwr'l. Beziir' y-9, 1957 A. REITVER 2,798,306

"LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 y 1957 A. L. REITER 2,798,306

LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 19 54 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 f'zunior alexcyzcier' l ff 11 27 July 9,195?

A. REITER LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 20, 1954 July 9, 1957 A. L. REITER I 2,798,306

LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS v Filed April 20, 1954 1o Sheets-Sheet 7 fni/enz or Qlexancierl. B62127 y 1957 A. L. REITER 2,798,306

LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1954 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 a I E I l I @LLt}-f24i i ("6 /234 24/12 "3 Z32 July 9, 1957 L. REITER LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS Q mk I July 9, 1957 A. L. REITER LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS 10' She ets-Sheet 10' Filed April 2p, 1954 kDk Q:

king Q B THE k kmk mi N v 4 NQ AN Uited States Patent Q LAUNDRY DRYING APPARATUS- Alexander L. Reiter, Eflingham, Ill., assignortmBorg- Warner Corporation, Chicago, Illa, a corporation of Illinois Application April 20, 1954-, Serial No.- 424,318 1 Claim. (Cl, 34-133) This invention relates, ingeneral, to. laundry apparatus, and has particular reference to a clothes drier advantageously applicable for domestic use in homes; apartment buildings and self-servicelaundries.

Otherwise stated, the instant invention. is: concerned with a domestic or household machine which is completely automatic in its operation to effect waterextracr tion of clothing and the like. previously cleansed-in a washing machine or by hand.

More specifically stated, this invention is embodied in an automatic clothes drier of the type employing a re volving cylinder in which clothes are effectively tumbled and-subjected to a large volume of air passing through said cylinder by mechanical means, whereby said clothes are dried to a degree ranging from the wet condition oftheclothes when disposed in the drier to complete dry ject andqaccomplishment of the invention is to provide a drier having incorporated therein conveniently accessible means, whereby the user may selectively cause the. drum tolrotateor be maintained stationary.

A further object and accomplishment of the invention a is to provide in a clothes drier of the type described a ness, ready to wear, dependent upon the drying time se- 7 lected by the operator.

Another important object and accomplishment of the invention is to provide a generally lightweight and compact clothes drier unit that may be readily employed in domestic use or the like.

Another important object and accomplishment of" the invention is to provide a clothes drier in which the drying air comprises a mixture of fresh air and heatedair passed through a revolving drum of the drier by effective mechanical means advantageously supplying maximum air movement and utilization of the greatest moisture carrying capacity of the air.

A further important object and accomplishment of the invention is. to'provide a clothes drier in. which cabinet surface temperatures are relatively low withthe consequent elimination of .a. substantial amount of insulation heretofore required in driers of this general class.

In order to facilitate the drying of clothes. and particue larly clothes which have been washed by a'conventional washing machine, it is desirable not only to remove the surplus water from the clothes such as maybe done. by a centrifugal extractor, but it is also desirable to further dry the clothes by circulating air thereover and therethrough, the air so circulated may be either warmed. by a heateror may be air of room temperature under certain conditions to favorably eflfect drying of the clothes.

Accordingly, an important object and accomplishment of the present invention is to provide means including a selector whereby the user may choose to have passed through the drier either heated airor air of room temperature.

A further important object and accomplishment of the invention is to provide a clothes drier of the type hereinbefore described and having incorporated means, whereby the user may select to have the drum rotate. to tumble the clothes or cause said drum to be held stationary to effect a so-called static drying with a further selection by the user as to whether it isdesired to have either heated air or room temperature air pass through the cylinder.

In connection with the above, another important obdriving arrangement which is simple in construction, fool-proof in operation, and which provides: relatively quiet operation effective to rotate the drum and drive themechanical air moving means to effect a relatively largevolume ofair'movement through said cylinder and over and vthrough the clothes contained therein.

Another: important object and accomplishment of the invention :is to. provide a new and improved drum which is. specifically designed to more effectively and advantageouslytumble the clothes contained therein in a manner so as to provide more efficient wiping of the air. with; the clothes whereby tomore effectively carry away-.rnoisture therefrom.

In. one. of its aspects, the present invention contemplatesya clothes drier having incorporated therein, air moving means directly associated with the rotatable drum, the air moving; means comprising a relatively large fan assembly driven by the same driving mechanism-as that of. thedrum andefiective to causethe passage of an unusually large amount of air through the drum for-eiiec tive wiping of the clothescontained therein to more efficiently remove. the moisturecontent therein, the-relatively-la-rge volume of air passing through the drum assure ing-safe, fast, uniform drying for every fabric;

Heretofore,-driers of the. type contemplated by this invention employed relatively high temperatures (ranging between 160 F. to over 200 F.) with a relatively small amount of air flow to effective drying of fabrics contained in thedrier. These relatively high temperatures provided not only dangers of-fire during their operation, but damage to dainty fabrics and possibleburning of' the hands of. the user during certain operations of the. drier. In. order to effectively eliminate aforesaid dangers, this invention contemplates a drier having relatively low operating-temperatures ranging from degrees to degrees, and further contemplatesthe provision of means to cause passage of a relatively. large volume; of air through-the cylinder underpressure and constantlyaway from: the heating means whereby to eliminate hazards and dangers. of firing of the fabrics contained in the drum;

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention disclosed herein will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after the construction and operation are understoodfrom the within description.

It'is preferred to accomplish the various objects of this invention and to practice the same in substantially the manner as hereinafter more fully described, and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and where- Fig. l is a perspective view of a clothes drier embodying the. features of the present invention;

Fig, 2v is a front elevational view of the interior of the driercabinet depicted in Fig. 1 with the front panel thereof removed and parts thereof being shown in section to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof;

Fig. 3'is a rear elevational view of the drier depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 with the back panel thereof being shown broken away in order to more clearly illustrate the con struction of the internal parts;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the drier depicted in Figs. 1; 2 and 3 and being taken substantially on the plane of the line 4-4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view of the drier contemplated 3 herein and being taken substantially on the plane of the line 5--5 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view of the light structure for illuminating the interior of the drum, this view being taken substantially on the plane of the line 6-6 in 'Fig. 8;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through the rotatable drum drive shaft and supporting means therefor and including mounting structure for the air fan contemplated by this invention;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the cabinet adjacent the access opening to illustrate the relative disposition of the parts thereof, this view being taken substantially on the plane of the line 88 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the rear wall of the rotating drum and illustrating relative disposition of the openings which permit entry of the air into the drum;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the lower regions of the cabinet of the drier depicted in Fig. 10 illustrating the vent and lint screen access door, this view being taken substantially on the plane of the line 10 10 in Fig. 1; i '7 Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of the-lower regions of the cabinet of the clothes drier depicted in Fig.1 and illustrating the relative disposition of the lint trap'with respect to adjacent parts of the clothes drier;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevational view of a drum lock contemplated by this invention effective to lock said drum for stationary drying without tumbling;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the drum lock depicted in Fig. 12 and being taken substantially on the plane of the lines 1313 in Figs. 2 and 12;

Fig. 14 is a top plan view of the drying time control mechanism contemplated by the present invention;

Fig. 15 is a front elevational view of the timing mechanism depicted in Fig. 14, but with the front panel thereof being removed to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof, this view being taken substantially on the plane of the line 15-15 in Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the timing mechanism depicted in Figs. 14 and 15 and being taken substantially on the plane of the line 16-16 in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a front elevational view of the front panel of the timing mechanism illustrated in Figs. 14, 15 and 16 and having indicia inscribed thereupon to facilitate selection by the user of a required drying time; and

Fig. 18 is an electrical wiring diagram for the drier contemplated by this invention.

The drawings are to be understood to be more or less of a schematic character for the purpose of illustrating and disclosing a typical or preferred form of the improvements contemplated herein, and in the drawings like refer ence characters identify the same parts in the several views.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention depicted in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the drier contemplated by this invention comprises, in general, the component part assemblies respectively indicated in their entirety by the letters as follows: A cabinet A exemplifying the external appearance of the automatic drying machine as shown in Fig. 1 and being hereafter referred to simply as a clothes drier; a clothes drum B disposed within the cabinet A and revolvable on a substantially horizontal axis and effective to tumble the fabrics disposed therein; an air moving fan assembly C axially disposed with respect to the drum B and effective to cause a relatively large volume of air to pass through said drum B for contact with the fabrics disposed therein for absorption of moisture whereupon said moisture is conveyed outwardly and'away from the machine with said air; a driving mechanism assembly D effective to cause rotation of said drum B and said air moving fan assembly C; a static dry control E associated with said drum B and effective to control rotation or non-rotation of said drum responsive to manual operation of said static dry control means by the user as desired; an air heating assembly F over'and through which ambient air is drawn by said air moving fan assembly C effective to raise the temperature of said ambient air before entry thereof into said drum B whereby said air will be more effective to absorb moisture in the fabrics contained in said drum B; a lint trap assembly G effective to filter out lint contained in the air passing from said clothes drum before it is discharged from the drier to provide substantially lint free air at the discharge openings; air discharge ports H providing a 5-way vent system permitting fiush-to-wall installation in any location without special fittings and whereby said drier may be vented from left or right sides, from rear or bottom of the cabinet, or direct exhaust through the front of the machine by tipping the hinged base panel to a desired open position; a supporting structure I for the operating mechanism disposed within the cabinet and including support means for the driving mechanism assembly D; and a timer mechanism J adapted to regulate the operation of the drier with respect to a selected drying time and permitting selection by the user of drying only by air or by air with heat, the timer mechanism I including the selector switch cooperating with said static dry control means E whereby the user has finger-tip choice of drying fabrics (l) by employing heated air, or (2) air alone, (3) with the drum revolving or (4) maintained in a static condition by operation of the static dry control means E as selected by the user. 7

The cabinet A Attention is directed to Fig. 1 wherein there is illustrated the cabinet A which houses the entire mechanism and control system therefor andwhich comprises a cover 20, a front panel 21, side panels respectively indicated at 22 and 23, and a control panel 24 forming a part of and projecting upwardly from the cover 20 as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4.

In Figs. 1 and 4, it can be seen that the front panel 21 is provided with a hinged door 25 to form the closure member for an opening 26 through which clothes or other fabric articles to be dried may be introduced to the machine. The hinged door 25 is so disposed with respect to the opening 26 that it will be flush with the surface of the front panel 21 when it is in its closed position. One or more metal straps 27 pivotally disposed in mountings secured to the inside surface of the front panel 21 serve to provide a hinged mounting for the access door 25 with respect to the front panel 21.

On the left-hand side of the control panel 24 fliere is disposed a control switch knob 30 which provides a means for manually selectively controlling 1) air dry or (2) air dry with heat, as desired by the user. The construction and operation of the control switch 30 will be more fully described hereinafter.

On the right-hand side of the control panel 24 there is disposed a control knob 33 which provides a means for manually regulating the timer J. The length of the drying cycle may thus be predetermined and set within certain limits by the manual adjustment of the control knob 33 in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter.

It is notable that both the control switch 30 and the control knob 33 are shown as being disposed on the panelled surface 24 so that they provide no obstruction to the operator in the use of the top surface 20 or in the introduction of the articles to be dried to the machine, or their removal therefrom.

, Particular attention is directed to Fig. 1, wherein there is clearly illustrated a recess 35 arranged adjacent the back portions of the drier cabinet, this recess being adaptable for convenient receipt of pipes, wiring cables and the like so that the rear portion 36 of the twin of the cabinet A may be positioned so as to be in engagement with a'wall or the like to provide continuity when the drieris disposed in kitchen and/or laundry cabinet arrangements and yet provide, by means of the recess 35, for accommodation of obstructionsrunning horizontally w s-e along. the wall which could be supply pipes and/or electrical conduits and'the'like. v v I An an'gularly disposed recessed toe plate'37 is provided in the lower front portions of the cabinetas' shown inFigs. 1, 4, and 11. This also is to provide obvious advantages of utility, and yet'giving design considerations to uniformity when thedrier is disposed in'a' kitchen and/ or laundry cabinet arrangement. Moreover, therecessed toe'plate 37 is hinged to the lower regions ofth'e cabinet A and is movable'between opened and closed positions respectively illustrated in dotted lines and in full 'lines in Fig. 10. The-opening ofsaidrecessed toep'late and lint trap access door 37 provides one of five possible means for venting the drier andfwill be more'fully described hereinafter.

The supporting structure I Attention is now directed'to Figs. 2,3, 4 and 5, wherein there is clearly disclosed the structural support I which "comprises a base formed of sheet steel members indicated in their entirety by the numeral 40 andsuitably formed and interconnected-by welding or the like-to define 'a substantially box-like base having disposed: at the four corners-thereof suitable adjustable legs as at adaptable to provide a levelling means for the drier whenplacedin operative position on a floor or the like, and a superstructure formed of suitably bentshee't" steelmember 51 arranged vertically to provide a supporting structure for portions of the driving mechanism assembly D and the air heating assembly F.

Itcanbe seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 that-the lower'portions of the cabinet A are secured to andsupported by thee members 40of thebase. Thus, it'can be seen that the supporting structure I is a-relatively' self-contained unit; and is constructed so as to place thecenter of gravity in the lower portions of the drier which is to provide advantageous stabilization of the drier in operation, thereby to reduce noise and objectionable vibration to the minimum.

The clothes drum B An important feature of the present invention'is the revolving drum B in which clothes are effectively'tumbled and subjected to a large volume of air passing through said drum by operation of the air moving fanassembly C to be' hereinafter described in detail, wherebys'aid clothes are dried to a degree ranging from' the wet condition of the clothes when disposed in the drier to complete dryness, ready to wear, dependent upo'n'the drying time selected by the operator.

Inthis connection, it is notable that the clothes-drum B'is clearly shown and described in my co-pending patent application, SerialNo. 424,878, filed April 22, 1954, and entitled Revolving Drum for a Clothes Drier; therefore, the general construction thereof need only be'herein described in sufiicient detail to point outits generaloperating characteristics.

It is important to note that it is highly desirable in clothes driers of the class contemplated herein to provide a drum effective to cause advantageous tumbling of the clothes so that the air passing through the drum advantageously wipes the clothes to more efficiently remove the moisture content therein, thereby providing and assuring safe, fast, uniform dryingfor every fabric.

In this connection, particular attention is invited to Figs. 2, 4, 7 and 9, wherein the drum B contemplated by the present invention is set forth in detail and may comprise, in general, a cylindrical metal shell made of a solid, imperforate piece of metal in contrast tothe usual wire mesh screenheretofore employed, this imperforate construction preventing accumulation of lint which has always been present in perforated cylindrical drums, a forward drum end 61 suitably secured to the front end of the cylindrical shell 60 and a'p'ortion of which is 'bent over the cylindrical shell 60 to define a tire 62 and 3 saidfrontdrmn end-61 defining a curved ring .63 provided with 'a flange64 extending radially inwardly towards -the axis of the cylindrical shell 60, .anda rear-end 65 'having a central aperture 66 defined by an inturned flange'67, said rear end 65" of said drumhaving secured thereto'a wall 68 projecting into the cylindrical'shell60 andadapted to define an annular chamber 69adapted to contain portions of said air moving'fan assemblyC, and said wall 68 beingformed to defineyelliptic-ally shaped air passages 70, 71 and 72, each respectively havingan air opening as at 73 which is in communication with the annular chamber 691 and baffle means as at 74and 75 effective, to pick up clothes-and carry them upwardly during rotation of the. drum until ahigh point is reached whereupon the clothes are dropped to the lower portions of the cylinder and are picked up by another baifle to repeat thiscycle; V V Inorder to'further reinforce the rear end of the drum, there is provided the 'conically shaped depressed portions 78 providinga mounting means for a hub 79 which is se'cur edto'thc conically-shaped portions 78 by means of bolts such"as"at-80.' The hub 79 is provided with a central through aperture 81 adapted to receive a driven shaft 82 having an axially'extending groove 83 disposed on the periphery thereof, said groove being adapted to receive end portions 84 of a set screw 8'5received into a threaded aperturex86 in saidhub 79, thereby maintaining said shaft 82 in fixed: relationship with'respect to the hub 79'which is carried in'fixed relationship with respect to the conical-shaped portions 78forming'a part of the rear wall of the drum B;

As may. best be seen in Figs. 2, 4'and8, the flange 64 of the drum B has a plurality of 'aperture's'as at 90 'inan annular array as shown, these apertures being iii-open communication with an air chamber 91 which-surrounds the access opening-26 to provide an air conduit directing moisture and lint laden air toward the lint screen G.

'The chamber 91 is formed of sheet metal plates to define a relatively air-tight conduit.

It is notable that the air chamber 91 remains stationary while the flange. 64 rotates with the drum B. In order to effectively seal these relatively movable parts, thereis provided a felt'seal 94 fixedly secured to an outside surface of the air chamber91 by means of a clamp 95 so that the projectingend of the annular-felt seal 94'is.in intimate engagement with portions of the curved ring 63, thereby providing an effective air seal between these movable parts.

In order to further seal the chamber 91, there is provided an annular felt seal 96 carried by an annular flange 97 integral with the flange 64 whereby saidseal will remain stationary while the drum. B rotates.

The opening 26 in the front panel 21 is formed to define a plurality of panels 100,101 and 102. In Fig. 8 it can be seen that the access door 25 comprises inner and outer panels respectively indicated at and 106, these panels being suitably bent to define flanges respectively indicated at 107 and 108 which are suitably welded or otherwise secured to provide an integral door. As'may best be seen in Fig. 1, the door is of a substantially square shape. Accordingly, portions of the opening 26 adjacent the flanges 107 and 108 of the door 25 are of a substantially square shape in order to accommodate the door as shown in'Fig. 8. The panels 100, 101 and 102 define parts of the opening 26 which are of a generally circular shape.

Arranged to fit and be attached to the annular circularshaped portions of the opening 26 is a seal 110 formed of rubber or the like and having portions 111 adapted to engage the inner panel 102 of the door 25. Secured to the upper regions of the annular seal 110 is an illuminating lamp fixture 113 adapted to provide suitable illumination in the drum B so that the user can readily identify the fabrics disposed therein. The lamp is controlled by a door switch 114' (Fig. 1) which, is spring pressed to a the lower frame structure of the drier.

to be opened and the current to the lamp 113 will be interrupted to shut off the lamp. Upon opening the door 25, the switch will be closed by virtue of the spring means disposed therein, thereby to light the lamp 113 so that the user may conveniently view the inside of the drum.

As may best be seen in Figs. 4 and 9, the air openings 73 each is provided witha 'U-shaped wire 115 secured to the wall 68. by means of screws Orrivets as at 116 to provide an obstruction preventing clothesor fabrics disposed in thed rum from entering into the opening 73.-

Thus, it can be seen that the drum B is cylindrical in form defined by the imperforate cylindrical wall 60 and which is provided with new and improved air entry means comprising the openings 73 and the elliptically shaped air chambers 70, 71, and 72 which effectively cooperate with the cylindrical wall 60 to efficiently distribute the air throughout the cylinder for advantageous contact with the clothes disposed therein, whereby to more rapidly and efficiently cause absorption of moisture by the air to assure rapid, safe and effective drying of the fabrics.

Driving mechanism assembly D An important feature of the present invention is the improved driving mechanism assembly D which is operable to causerotation of the drum B and to drive the air moving fan assembly C to be hereinafter more fully described, the drive arrangement contemplated herein does not require the use of internal gear segments, gears and racks or shafts having special cranks formed thereon, or other complicated or expensive mechanical parts, but which is made up of parts simply and cheaply manufactured and assembled and adapted to be applied to and used with straight shafts to accomplish smooth, quiet and efficient operation.

carried by the support plate 40 of the supporting structure I and so arranged that the periphery of the wheel 120 is in intimate engagement with the tire 62, the driven shaft 82 as hereinbefore described, a drive pulley 130 mounted on the shaft 125 remotely from the Wheel 124,

a drive pulley 132 rotatably mounted on the driven shaft 82 (Fig. 7) for relative rotation therebetween, a drive pulley 133 mounted on a drive shaft 134 of an electric motor 135, and an endless V-belt 138 suitably mounted on the drive pulleys 130, 132 and 133 as shown in Fig. 3.

The motor 135 is carried by a bracket 136 which is hinged as at 137 to a supporting bracket 138 secured to A spring 139, one end 140 of which being attached to portions of the bracket 136 and the other end 141 of which is secured :to the lower frame. assembly of the clothes drier, pro- ,vides a resilient force urging pivotal movement of the screws 85 disposed in the hub 79 which is carried by portions of the rear wall of the drum B. Carried by the vertical support 51 is a bracket 145 adapted to support a sin tered powdered metal bearing 146 in which outer end portions 147 of the shaft 82 are effectively journalled.

washer 148, and a .tively rotate thereon.

In -order to prevent relative axialmovement of the shaft 82 with"respect to'the bearing 146 there is provided a snap ring 149 disposed in a groove 150 in the shaft82. 4 I i As may-best be seen in Fig. 7 the air moving fan assembly C is mounted upon the shaft 82 for relative rotation therebetween. It is notable that the shaft 82 will :rotate in one direction while the fan assembly C will rolate in the opposite direction. this there is provided a bronze bearing having a rub- In order to accomplish ber sleeve 156 encased in a suitable cover or case 157. In like manner, there is also provided a second bronze bear ing 160 having a rubber sleeve 161 encased in a cover or :case162L, It is notable that the bearings 155'and 160 are disposed in spaced relationship. Surrounding the shaft 82 in the space between the bearings 155 and 160 there is disposed an oil soaked wick felt 165 arranged to cooperate'with the oil grooves 166 and 168 in the shaft 82 so that lubrication is effectively provided to the bronze bear,- ings 155 and 160. Adjacent the end portions of the bearings 160 there is disposed a felt seal 167 maintained in its proper position as shown by a snap ring 168 encased in a housing 169 and operable to effectively prevent lubrication from running axially along and outwardly of said shaft 82.

. H The drive pulley 132 is mounted on a hub by means of bolts as at 176 which also secure to the hub 175 an annular fan blade support 177 having attached thereto adjacent the periphery thereof projecting blades as at 178, 179, 180, 181. It is notable that the hub 175 is suitably journalled on the shaft 82 by means of the bearings 155 and 16.0.

Attention is invited to Figs. 2, 3 and 4, wherein it can be seen that the drum B is supported for rotation on the wheels 120 and 124, the peripheries of which are in engagement with the tire 62 so that the drum B may effec- In Fig. 2 it can be seen that the wheel 120 is an idler wheel and is not driven by the driving means but merely acts as a support for the drum B. However, the wheel 124 is driven through the shaft 125 by means of the pulley 130 which is caused to rotate by means 'of the V-belt 138 (Fig. 3) which in turn is rotated by the drive pulley 133 attached to the motor shaft 134. Accordingly, because the drier drum B rests upon the wheel 124, the drum will be caused to rotate by rotation of the wheel 124, thereby to drive the drum to effectively tumble the fabrics contained therein.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 7, it can be seen that the rear end of the drum is supported by the centrally disposed shaft 82 which is journalled in the sintered powdered metal bearing 146. Because the shaft 82 is fixedly secured to the drum B, it will rotate therewith and act as a driven shaft, the rotation of the drum being accomplished by ro tation of the wheel 124.

Because the driving mechanism for the drum B is interrelated with the driving mechanism of the air moving fan assembly C, it can be seen that when the drum rotates the air moving fan assembly will also be operative. Movement of the endless V-belt 138 will cause rotative movement of the pulley 132 and because the pulley 132 is secured to the hub 175 which in turn carries annular fan blade support 177, the air moving fan assembly C will be caused to rotate.

Air heating assembly F .the flow of ambient air for passage over and through an electric heating element 202 suitably carried in a sheet metal frame 203 which is attached to the vertical support avasisoe 1', the" sheet. metal" frame 203 being" fori'ri'ed to: define 'a tunnel-likeshape with the electric-heatingelements as at 202' disposed therein. Ambient air. is drawn by the air moving fa'n assembly C through a 'plurality of apertures as" at 205' disposed inthe rear enclosure'p'anel 206 in the direction indicated by the arrows, and through the openifig-207 in the upper-regions of the'cabinet'for' passage into the'hb'using2'01 and through the tiiiinel-likeshape'd enclosure 203' for contact with the heating,- elements' 202 and thereafter through an aperture 208 in the vertical support'5ll Thus, the ambientiair comingin contact-with the-heat- :in'gifelme'nts- 20'2 will' be raised intemperature formore effective absorption of the moisture contained in the fabrics disposedin the dium.

Although an electric heating'element 202 is disclosed h'erein,.it.is obvious that other means may be employed fori'air-heatingt such as, for example,- gas or the'lik'e.

;'The control of the operation ofthe heating elements 202 'will' be further discussed hereinafter in detail in the description or the wiring diagram illustrated in Fig.

It is'inipoi tant'to note that this invention contemplates a drierhavingrelativelylow operating temperatures rangingrrem 110 F.' to 140 F., the moisture :in the fabrics when first deposited in the-clothes drierbeing eifective to maintain the operating temperature at 110 and as the moisture is withdrawn from the fabrics to a point where 90 percent of the moisture 'has been removed from the fabrics, the temperaturerange will-rise to. approximately 140 F. and a control'means to be hereinafter described will be effective to cause inoperationof the heating means while the drum continues to rotate to tumble the clothe-s for'effective iluffing thereof and the air continues to pass thereover and therethrough to eiiectively aerate the fabrics for whatever length oftime to which the. timer has been set.

The air moving fan assembly C Anothr'impo'rta nt feature of the invention contemplated'hereinis the provision in adrier of the generalclass disclosedherein of an air moving fan assembly indicated in its entirety by the letter C and disposed=axially of the drum and of a relatively large size to provide an unusually large volume of air for passage through the drum B for contact with the moisture laden clothes disposed therein,-wherebyto absorb the moisturecontained in'the clothes and to carry the same outwardly of the drum through the linttrap G where any lint in the air is filtered therefrom, and outwardly of the cabinet throughone of five possible vent openings H.

ln this connection, it isnotable that the air moving fan assembly C is clearly shown and described in my co-pending patent application, Serial No; 424,877 filed April-.22 1954,. and entitled Air Moving-Mechanism for a Clothes Drier; therefore, the general construction thereof needonly be herein described insufiicient detail to point out itsrgeneral operating characteristics.

As may best be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the air moving fan assembly C comprises the annular support 177 having fixedly disposed adjacent the periphery thereof a plurality of fan blades 178, 179, 180 and 181, these fan blades being arranged in equally spaced relationship and disposed in the chamber 69 defined by therear end'wall assembly of the drum B. i

It is notable that thedrum B will rotate in one direction while-the fan assembly C will rotate in a direction opposite to that of the drum. Thus, rotation of the fan assembly C effected by rotation of the pulley 132 by means of the endless V-belt 138 through the motor drive pulley 133 willcause ambient air to be drawn through the aperture 205 in the back panel 206'and through the opening 207 in the upper regions of the cabinet for passage through the housing'201 and in the tunnel-like shaped enclosure 203 for contact with the .airheating elements 202, throughthe opening 208 in the vertical support 51' and through the annular opening 220 in the rear v'vall "6510f the B for 'passage"through the openings 7 3 andtinto contact with" the fabrics in the dn1m=B i where the air will abs-orb'rnoisture contained in the fabrics and will be forced outwardlylfrorn'thedrum through the openings -in the fla'nge 6'43:at the forward end ofthefdrum for discharge-into theair chamber 91 for transmittal to the lint trap assembly disposed in the lower regions vof thecabin'etand-thereafter outwardlyfr om the cabinet via one of five possible vent'o penings H.

It is important'tonote that the vertical suppo'rt' 51 is provided with an annular opening 222' (Fig. 4) through which the shaft-82 and the assembly disposed thereupon projects, this opening permitting ambient air of room temperature to be drawn intotheichamber 69 bythe fan where the ambient air ismixedand co-mingled with the heated air entering intothe chamber 69 via the opening 208; The passage of ambient air of room temperature around and adjacent thedriving assemblyand the bearings disposed adjacent the opening 222'providesan effective means for "cooling the bearings hereinbefore described and located intliis general region.

Moreover, it isof particular importance to note that the air flow is constantly away from the heating elements 202 which advantageously provides safety in operation and substantially.eliminates any. questions of fire hazards. Moreover, .the relatively large'volume ofair afforded by the operation of the air moving'fan assembly. C slightly pressurizes the drum'B, whereby contact of the air with the fabrics contained in thedrum is effected more efficiently and more completely whereby moisture from the fabrics is morera'pidly absorbed to effect drying of the fabrics quickly but at a relatively low temperature'which is safe for even the most dainty'fabrics.

Static drive mechanism E manual operation of the heat control switch knob-30 to have either --air dry. or 'air dry 'w-ithheat. By operating the staticdry control means E, theoperator may further select whether the drum should rot-ate or be' maintained ina stationary position.

In thisconnection, it is notable that the static dry control means E is clearly shown and described in my co-pending. patent application, Serial No. 424,468, filed April 20,1954, and entitled Mechanical ControlMeans for a Clothes =Drier Cylinder; therefore, the general con- 'struction thereof need only be herein described in suflicient detail. to point out its general operating characteristics.

Attention is invited to Figs. 2, l2 and 13, wherein there is disclosed the static dry control mechanism generally indicated by the letter E and which may comprise, in general, a manually operable control handle indicated in its entirety by the numeral lfi tl" and rotatably mounted in thesuppor-t'tt), a first bracket 231 fixedly secured to said support 40, a second bracket 232 hingedly mounted to said first bracket, an operating lever 233 one end of which is pivotallyconnected to the second bracket 232 by means of'a pivot pin'234 and the other end 235 of which is adapted for engagement with the tire 62 surrounding the periphery of the basket B, and a third bracket 236 also fixedly secured to the support 40 and adapted to act as a guide for the upper end regions of the operating lever- 233.

It can be seen in Fig; 13 that the operating handle 230 comprises the handgrip 240 which is suitably mounted on a-screw threaded shaft 241 adapted to be received into a-nut 242 welded org otherwise secured to the first bracket 231 as shown. Accordingly, manual rotation of thehandle 240 will cause axial movement of the screw threaded,

11 portions 241. In order to prevent removal of the screw threaded portions 241 from its operative position with respect to the nut 242, there isv provideda washer: 243 which will become engaged with the exposed surface of the nut 242 responsive to rotation of the handle 240 in a direction whereby the screw threaded portions 241 will be caused to move outwardly of the nut 242.

It is notable that the end portions 244 of the screw threaded portions 241 are engageable with the second bracket 232 and manual rotation of the handle 240 in a direction whereby the screw threaded portions 241 are moved inwardly of the nut 242 will force pivotal movement of the second bracket 232 with respect to the first bracket 231 on an axis defined by the pivot pin 245 and, because of the pivotal interconnection between the second bracket 232 and the operating lever 233 by means of the pivot pin 234, the operating lever will be caused to move upwardly, whereby the upper end portions 235 will become engaged with the tire 62 of the drum B, whereby said drum will be raised slightly from its normal engagement with the drive wheel 124 and thereby remain stationary while the drive wheel 124 continues to rotate.

bracket 232 to assume its normal position and because of this movement the operating lever 233 will be moved downwardly to a normally disengaged position with respect to the end portions 235 and the tire 62 of the drum B. It is notable that the weight of the drum B will cause said downward movement when permitted by rotation of the handle 240.

It can be seen in Fig. 13 that the first bracket is of a generally U-shape and is fixedly secured to the support 40 by means of screws as at 250.

The second bracket is also of a generally U-shape and of a dimension somewhat smaller than the first bracket 231 so that the second bracket 232 will fit into the confines of the generally U-shape of the first bracket 231. The pivot pin 245 pivotally interconnects the second bracket 233 with respect to the first bracket 231.

In Figs. 12 and 13 it can be seen that the third bracket 236 is fixedly secured to the support 40 by means of a screw as at 251. This bracket is provided with a depending flange 252 projecting away from the support 40 and is provided with an aperture 253 adapted to receive the upper end regions of the operating lever 233. It is notable that the third bracket 236 acts as a guide for the upper regions of the operating lever 233 so as to assure proper contact between the upper end 235 of the operating lever 233 and the tire 62 of the drum B.

In order to provide access to the handle 240 the lint trap access door 37 may be pivoted to its open position and the operator can then manually rotate the handle 240 to effect either static dry or drying of the fabrics by rotation of the drum which will tumble the fabrics contained therein. A more detailed description and operation of the lint trap access door 37 will be set forth hereinafter.

The lint trap assembly G An important feature of the present invention'is the lint trap assembly G set forth in detail in Figs. 2, 4, 5, 10 and 11. It is notable that the air chamber 91 opens into a rectangular shaped box-like structure defined by the walls 275, 276, 277 and 278, wherein there is disposed a removable lint trap 279 comprising a rectangular-shaped metal frame 280 having fitted therewith a screen 281 adapted to filter out lint contained in air passing therethrough in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 11.

The side walls of the box-like structure are fitted with angle-type flanges 285, 286 (Figs; 4 and adapted to support the frame 280 of the lint trap 279.

As may best be seen in Fig. 4, the lint trap access door 37 is mounted adjacent the lower regions of the cabinet so that said lint trap access door 37 maybe moved between open-and closed positions respectively indicated in dotted and full lines in Fig. 10. In order .to accomplish this pivotal movement, there is provided a hinge 290 whereby the lint trap access door 37 is hingedly mounted to the lower regions of the support frame.

Attention is invited to Fig. 10, wherein there is provided a spring 291, one end 292 of which is secured to a projecting flange 293 of the lint trap access door 37 and the other end of which is suitably secured to the cabinet structure, whereby said lint trap access door 37 is maintained in its normal closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 10. In the event that it is desirable to maintain the lint trap access door in its open position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10, there is provided a lever 294 mounted in the upper regions of the lint trap access door 37 for pivotal movement by means of the rivet 295 so that projecting end portions 296 may become engaged with the support 40, thereby to maintain said lint trap access door 37 in its open position in dotted lines in Fig, 10. The lint trap access door 37 is maintained in this open position in the event it is desirable to have the drier vented through this door.

It is notable that there are four other possible vent openings which will be hereinafter described. When the lint trap access door 37 is in its closed position the lever 294 is pivoted around the rivet 295 and maintains it position shown in full lines in Fig. 10.

For purposes of cleaning lint from the lint screen 281, the lint trap access door 37 may be opened and the lint trap removed from its normal position in the boxlike structure defined by the walls 275, 276, 277 and 278. After cleaning, the lint trap will again be placed in its normal operating position as shown in Fig. 11.

After the lint laden air from the air chamber 91 passes through the screen 281, the lint free air will travel rearwardly of the lower regions of the cabinet in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 11 and pass through an opening 300 for entry into a cylindrical conduit 301 disposed at right angles to the opening 300 and adapted to convey the air to each side of the lint trap adjacent the respective sides of the cabinet to the venting means to be hereinafter described in detail.

Air discharge exhaust ports H The clothes drier contemplated herein is designed and equipped with provisions so that the moist heat laden air can be exhausted in any one of five different directions.

Particular attention is invited to Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 11, wherein there are disclosed the air discharge exhaust ports H. On the left or right side of the cabinet near the rear of the drier two knock-outs as at 325 are provided in either side of the cabinet through which a standard flue pipe can be inserted for making connections to exhaust outlet 301 at the rear of the drier. These two connections provide for below ground level basement installation with the cabinet flush to the wall.

With the use of an elbow, exhaust may be installed directly in the back 206 of the drier for utility room installation. This also provides fiush-to-the-wall installation. An oblong knock-out 326 (Fig. 5) is provided in the lower left center of the cabinet back panel to accommodate an exhaust pipe 327.

Two knock-outs 328 and 329 are located underneath the drier near the front to provide a means for installing the exhaust down through the floor for inside wall installation. These two knock-outs are staggered and either one'may be used to eliminate interference from floor joists.

Exhausting can be'directed into the room through the front of the drier by tilting the lint trap access door 37 'to its open position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10.

This method may be used in some installations because of its simplicity. p

. 13 or kits because standard g'alvanized'or aluminum pipe orfittings can bepurchased in most hardwarestores or tin shops. In many cases, installation 'of exhaust piping can easilyv beniade' by the user.

Indoor exhausting of the moisture laden airis satisfactorywhen the laundry room is large and airy or when cross ventilation is possible bymeans of two open windows or an open windowor' door, or when an exhaust fan'is .used in the laundry! However, for permanent installations or'installation in a small unventilated room, it is desirable to conductthemoistureladen exhaust to the outside of the house in which the drier is installed.

Tim'er mechanism I An important feature of the invention -is the provision of the timer mechanism J havingincorporated therein a-linearly arranged dial to 'provide convenient reading and styling having appeal to the aesthetic senses of the user.

In this connection, it is notable that the timing mechanism 'Jis clearly shown and described in my co-pending patent application, SerialNo'. 423,617, filed'April 16, 1954, and entitled Laundry Apparatus Timing Mechanism; therefore, the general construction thereof need only be herein described in suflicient detail'to point out its general operating characteristics. I

Particular-attention is invited to Figs; 1, 2, 14, 15, 16 and 18, wherein the timer mechanism I is set-'forth in detail and may comprise, in genera'L-a support frame 350 formed to define the shape as shown and adapted for securement to the inside surface of the backboard panel of the cabinet A, aiselector switch 351 carried by said frame and connected in circuit withthe" heating means 202 whereby the'operator may select operation of the drier by air alone or air withhe'at, a timer motor 352 carried by said frame 350 and adapted for regulating timed operation-of the drier responsive to a time interval selected by the user, adial 353 (Figs; 14 and'l7) formed of a translucent material and having indicia inscribed thereupon indicating timed'intervals of drier operation, said dial being linearly arranged and carried by a recessed opening 354 disposed in the backboard panel of the cabinet A,and linearly movable indicator means 355 movable along the linear path described by the indicia inthe dial353, and said indicator means 355 having associated therewith drive means 356 operable by said timer motor 352 to move said indicator means 355 along said linearly described path.

As may best be seen in Figs. 14, 15 and 16, the selector switch 351 is controlled by the selector switch control knob 30 which projects outwardly of the dial 353 for convenient access thereto by the operator. The operator will move said control knob 30 to one of two positions, namely, to Air or Heat (Fig. 17) which respectively provides operation of thedrier with air alone or air with heat. Associated with said selector switch 351 and disposed behind'the dial353 there is provided an illuminating lamp 358 which will indicate visually the position of the switch knob 30. Attached to the frame by means of a bracket 359 is an elongated illuminating lamp 360 effective to light up the dial 353. The indicator means 355 is formed to define a generally elongated pointer-like shape 361 and this pointer is positioned and arranged so as to blank out a portion of the light from the lamp 360 to cause a shadow-like configuration marking off its respective position on the dial 353.

The control knob 33 is mounted on a shaft 365'which projects into the timer motor 352. Fixedly mounted to the shaft 365 there is provided a pulley 366 having secured thereto one end-367 of a string 368 which rides upon a rotatable pulley 369 and has secured thereto the indicator means 355, and rides over a second pulley 370,

and the other end 371 of which is secured to a spring 372 attached to the backguard of the cabinet A. The

coil and both the ozone or germicidal light and the standard 40 watt light bulb are wiredin series with the door a 14 springiis effective to'pr ovide proper tension and give to the string 368.

When the drier is in its inoperative position, the indi- 'cating"meansjwill'be in the"off position with respect to'the dial353. The operator may desire a drying time offo'rty' minutes. Accordingly, the operator willrotate the control knob 33 which in turn will rotate the pulley indicating means 355 will'reach the OE position and the timer 352 'WiIl then open the switch 375 (Fig. 18-) to openthe circuitand' shut off alloperating elements'of the drier.

Thus,- it can beseen' that'the operating controls comprising the timer mechanism J are located on the backguard panel of thecabinet A, and the control dial 353 is illuminated ass'oon as the time control knob 33 is rotated by theuser to set the control mechanism for a desired time interval of operation. Definite time is used to control the'op'eration ofthedrier with the time indications marked in groups of ten minutes up to sixty minutes, broken down with markingsat five minute intervals. After the five minute interval indicators are the wordings na p and Dry for selecting drying time for either. Beyond the'indicated sixty minutes are further marks for operation up to two hours with the wording above Heavy Fabrics for articles that require additional drying time such as shag rugs, chenille bedspreads, etc. The knob 30 which operates the control switch 351 is also incorporated in the control panel and is operable for settings at the markings indicatedon the dial'353 for Heat in drying or set at Airfor drying with no heat.

Wirirt'g diagram and electrical controls Attentionis'finvited to Fig. 18, wherein there is diagrammatically illustrated a wiring diagram for a clothes driericontemplated herein. Although there is shown an electric heater 202, itis obvious that this heater may be substituted by gas or any other convenient means effective to heat the ambient airentering in the drum B. V

The drier contemplated by this invention may be equipped with an ozone or germicidal light 390 (Figs. 3, 4 and l8) which is mounted on the drum rear bearing vertical support bracket 145 as shown and with thelight extending through an opening 391 in the cylinder support bracket 145. With the light mounted in thislocation, a considerable amount of air is drawn in and around the light at all times during the operation. This provides maximum efficiency of the ozone or germicidal light;

'Wired in series with the ozone or germicidal light is a standard 40 watt light bulb 392, also mounted on the support-bracket 145 as shown and which acts as a choke switch 114 and the timer switch 375.

The door switch. 114 (Figs. 1 and 18) is mounted on the front panel 21 at the upper left-hand corner of the clothes door-opening 26. The switch 114 is actuated by contact with'the door.

When the door '25 is opened, the switch 114 opens the electrical circuit which is eifective to stop the drier and simultaneously therewith turn on the cylinder light 113 (Figs. 4, 6, 8and 18). When the door 25 is closed, the operation of the drier is resumed and the light 113 is turned.olr.

It is notable that the drier contemplates operation at v relatively low temperatures ranging between F. and

provided a nonadjustable thermostat 395 whichis operable to maintain a drying level of approximately 110 F., and is preferably located in the right-hand corner of the lint duct, accessible by tilting the lint trap access door 37.

In addition to maintaining a drying level 110 F., the thermostat 395 limits the temperature to a maximum of 140 F.

The difference between drying level and maximum level is the sustained drying level at 110 F., and as the clothes become drier and the final moisture is removed from the clothes the temperature will rise to a maximum of 140 F., which will cause operation of said thermostat 395 to open the circuit and shut off the heater 202.

Normally, the maximum temperature is reached several minutes before the end of the drying cycle when the clothes are completely dry and the heat will remain ofi for this short period of time to allow the clothes to cool slightly for removal from the drier.

In order to provide additional safety, there is disposed in the electrical circuit a high limit thermostat 397 (Figs. 3, 4 and 18) mounted in the top of the heat chamber 201, directly above the heating element 202.

The high limit thermostat 397 is nonadjustable and is set to open the circuit at 200 F. and to close the circuit at 150 F. This thermostat switch resets automatically and is wired in series with the heater element 202, and if the temperature in the drum B becomes unduly high the switch will break the circuit to the heating element 202 and will continue to cycle off and on until the cause is corrected.

Preferably, the heating element as illustrated may be a 4200 watt element at 220 volts. A three-wire 398, 399 and 400 power connection is required. The third wire enables the power to be divided so that a standard 115 volt motor may be advantageously employed to drive the drum B and the fan C.

A separate switch 405 operated by a relay 406 is used to energize the heating element 202 because the timer contacts are normally not suflicient to carry 220 volts. When the timer is set to on this energizes the relay 406 connected to the plunger 407 of the electric element switch 405 to operate said switch. The relay 406 is wired through the starting switch 408 of the motor 135. The relay 406 normally is not energized unless the motor 135 is in the running winding.

Summary of operation The clothes drier contemplated herein is an indoor clothes drier advantageously applicable for domestic use in homes, apartment buildings and self-service laundries. It will damp dry an average eight to. nine pound load of clothes (dry weight) ready for ironing in approximately thirty minutes. It will completely dry an average washer load of clothes in approximately forty-five minutes.

The wet clothes are placed into the solid, smooth drum B which revolves at 45 R. P. M., gently tumbling the clothes by means of three smooth baffles as at 74 disposed within the drum B. V

The clothes are dried by air which is drawn through a number of openings 205 in the back panel 206 and through other openings to come in contact with the air heating element 202. The heated air is then forced by pressure from the fan assembly C through the three ducts as at 73 provided in therear wall of the drum B, into the drum B proper and circulated over and through the clothes contained therein. The heated moisture laden air is then expelled through the relatively small openings 90 in the drum front wall where it is directed down through an air duct 91, through the lint screen 281 of the lint trap. means G and into the exhaust duct H. This type of circulation allows the use of a relatively high volume of air, resulting in an over-all cooler unit' and increased efficiency due to less heat leakage.

Clothes of the most delicate fabrics maybe dried in the drier contemplated herein by means of air only, .or by air with heat. This is accomplished by employing the 16 heat switch 351 controlled by the knob 30 whereby the heating element is turned ofi when the switch is set at Air and the heating element will operate when the switch is set at Heat to provide air with heat.

a When drying items sueh'as pillows and similar articles which cannot stand any great amount of tumbling, the drum B may be stopped from revolving with the heat on and after a short period of time or Whatever time is deemed necessary, the drum B may be caused to rotate for approximately five minutes to fluff the article.

1 The drum B may be stopped by means of the static drive mechanism E which is operable to lift the drum B up off the drive pulley 124. The static drive mechanism E is operated by a handle 240 located at the lower lefthand corner of the drier, in back of the lint trap access door 37. Turning'the handle'240 clockwise lifts or stops the drum B. Turning the handle counterclockwise lowers the drum B on the drive pulley 124 and starts the drum B revolving.

In general, the operation of a drying cycle may be accomplished 'as follows:

1. The fabrics may be placed in the drier as they come from the washing machine. The door 25 is then closed;

2. The heat switch knob 30 is set to Air or Heat" as desired;

3. The drier is started byrotating the time control knob 33 for the desired drying period;

4. The drier will automatically shut oif at the end of the selected drying period. To stop the drier before the end of the selected drying time, the time control knob 33 maybe rotated counterclockwise until the indicator pointer 361 of the indicator means 355 is at the off position or the clothes door 25 may be opened to cause operation of the door switch 114; and

- 5. If the fabrics comprise a mixed load, lightweight items will dry faster and may be removed at any time when ready for ironing by stopping the drier operation as aforesaid. Operation may be resumed for heavy articles by rotating the time control knob 33 to the required time necessary to eifectively dry such heavy articles.

It is notable that the drier contemplated herein is specifically designed and may be equipped with provisions so that the moist heat laden air can be exhausted in any one of five different directions, namely, left or right side of the cabinet near the rear of the drier, directly in the rear of the cabinet, downwardly through the bottom wall of the cabinet, and exhausting can be directed into the room through the front of the drier by tilting the lint trap access door 37 to its open position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 10. In the closed position the lint trap access door 37 seals and closes the lint screen opening and serves as a toe plate since it is recessed at the bottom of .the cabinet.

The door switch 114 is mounted on the front panel .21 in'the upper left-hand corner of the clothes door open- '113 to illuminate the interior of the drum B. When the door 25 is closed, the operation of the drier is' resumed and the lamp 113 is turned off.

The drying temperature is controlled by the'thermostat 395 which is nonadjustable and effective to maintain a drying level of'approximately F. In addition to maintaining a drying level of 110 F., the thermostat 395 limits the temperature to a maximum of F.

The difference between drying level and maximum level is the sustained drying level at 110 F., and as the fabrics contained in the drum- B become drier and the final moisture is removed from the fabrics, the temperature will rise to a maximum of 140 F.

In order to provide additional safety, there is disposed in the wiring circuit a high limit thermostat 397 which is mounted in the top of the heater housing directly above the air heating element 202. The thermostat 397 is nonadjustable and is set to open the circuit at 200 F., and to automatically reset itself at 150 F. Moreover, the thermostat 397 is wired in series with the air heater element 202 and if the temperature in the drum B becomes unduly high, the thermostat 397 will break the circuit to the air heating element 202 and will continue to cycle Off and on until the cause is corrected.

The drum B and the fan assembly C is supported in the drier cabinet by a single rear bearing 146 mounted on the bearing support 145 and at the front of the drier by a rubber idler pulley 120 at the right front, and a rubber drum drive pulley 124 at the left. The front outside circumference of the drum B rests on both of the above pulleys and is driven by friction from the drive pulley 124 which in turn is keyed to a shaft 125 extending to the rear of the drier. The drive shaft 125 is driven by a pulley 130 attached to the shaft 125 at the rear of the drier and a connecting drive belt 138 to the motor 135. The single belt 138 is effective to drive both the drum B and the air circulating fan C.

The air circulating fan C is located at the rear of the drum B, being housed in the drum B proper, and rotates freely on the drum central support shaft 82.

Preferably, rotation of the drum B is counterclockwise at 45 R. P. M.

Rotation of the fan is clockwise at approximately 600 R. P. M.

While I have illustrated preferred embodiments of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth but wish to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

18 I claim: A drying apparatus comprising a clothes-receiving cylinder, said cylinder having an imperforate peripheral wall and opposed end walls one end wall being formed with a plurality of apertures disposed in circular array said cylinder having air inlet means in the opposite end wall, a casing surrounding said cylinder and enclosing said apertures, means for mounting said cylinder for rotary motion for tumbling clothes, means for rotating said cylinder and means for pivotally mounting said cylinder for movement transversely to the axis thereof and for supporting said cylinder in a stationary position, a seal disposed between said casing and said one end wall so as to define a sealed chamber communicating with said apertures, means for mounting said seal so that the seal is in contact with said one end wall and the casing in all positions of said cylinder, and means for forcing air in an axial direction through said cylinder, said apertures, and ultimately into said sealed chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,800,228 Pierce Apr. 14, 1931 2,372,790 Morgenstern Apr. 3, 1945 2,486,058 Patterson et al. Oct. 25, 1949 2,500,062 Clark Mar. 7, 1950 2,503,329 Geldhof et al Apr. 11, 1950 2,521,712 Geldhof Sept. 12, 1950 2,590,808 Wagner Mar. 25, 1952 2,654,961 Manecke Oct. 13, 1953 2,670,549 McNeil Mar. 2, 1954 2,679,112 Thompson -1---" May 25, 1954 2,722,057 Pugh Nov. 1, 1955 

